Methods for handling change in available connection to packet data network in ip multimedia subsystems

Abstract

Embodiments include methods performed by an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia service (IMS) client in a user equipment for managing a change in connection to a network during an IMS session with a network Various embodiments may include determining whether a second network address for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) is available in response to receiving an indication that a first network address to the PCSCF is no longer available, and attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF in response to determining that the second network address is available. Some embodiments may include creating a second network address for the PCSCF, querying the network regarding validity of the second network address, and maintaining the IMS session with the network while requesting a new connection to the network using the second network address to the PCSCF when the second network address is valid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device, comprising:
 a wireless transceiver; and   a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
 determine whether a second network address for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) is available in response to receiving an indication that a first network address to the PCSCF is no longer available in an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia service (IMS) session; 
 attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF in response to determining that the second network address is available; and 
 bring down the IMS session with the network in response to determining that the second network address is not available. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configure to:
 determine whether a second network address for the PCSCF is available by:
 creating a second network address for the PCSCF; and 
 querying the network whether the second network address for the PCSCF is valid; and 
   attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF by maintaining the IMS session with the network while requesting a new connection to the network using the created second network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication the second network address for the PCSCF is valid.   
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configure to:
 release the connection to the network using the first network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication that the new connection to the network; and   continue the IMS session with the network using the second network address for the PCSCF.   
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configure to attempt to establish an IMS connection to a data packet network using a different radio access technology in response to failure of the attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         7 . A method performed by an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia service (IMS) client executing in a user equipment for managing a change in connection to a network during an IMS session with a network, comprising:
 determining whether a second network address for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) is available in response to receiving an indication that a first network address to the PCSCF is no longer available;   attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF in response to determining that the second network address is available; and   bringing down the IMS session with the network in response to determining that the second network address is not available.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 determining whether a second network address for the PCSCF is available comprises:
 creating a second network address for the PCSCF; and 
 querying the network whether the second network address for the PCSCF is valid; and 
   attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF comprises maintaining the IMS session with the network while requesting a new connection to the network using the created second network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication the second network address for the PCSCF is valid.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 releasing the connection to the network using the first network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication that the new connection to the network; and   continuing the IMS session with the network using the second network address for the PCSCF.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising attempting to establish an IMS connection to a data packet network using a different radio access technology in response to failure of the attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         13 . A computing device, comprising:
 means for determining whether a second network address for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) is available in response to receiving an indication that a first network address to the PCSCF is no longer available in an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia service (IMS) session;   means for attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF in response to determining that the second network address is available; and   means for bringing down the IMS session with the network in response to determining that the second network address is not available.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 means for determining whether a second network address for the PCSCF is available comprises:
 means for creating a second network address for the PCSCF; and 
 means for querying the network whether the second network address for the PCSCF is valid; and 
   means for attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF comprises means for maintaining the IMS session with the network while requesting a new connection to the network using the created second network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication the second network address for the PCSCF is valid.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 means for releasing the connection to the network using the first network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication that the new connection to the network; and   means for continuing the IMS session with the network using the second network address for the PCSCF.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 1 , further comprising means for attempting to establish an IMS connection to a data packet network using a different radio access technology in response to failure of the attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory processor-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processing system of a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 determining whether a second network address for a Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) is available in response to receiving an indication that a first network address to the PCSCF is no longer available in an Internet protocol (IP) multimedia service (IMS) session;   attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF in response to determining that the second network address is available; and   bringing down the IMS session with the network in response to determining that the second network address is not available.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the stored processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause a processor of a computing device to perform operations such that:
 determining whether a second network address for the PCSCF is available comprises:
 creating a second network address for the PCSCF; and 
 querying the network whether the second network address for the PCSCF is valid; and 
   attempting to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF comprises maintaining the IMS session with the network while requesting a new connection to the network using the created second network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication the second network address for the PCSCF is valid.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the stored processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause a processor of a computing device to perform operations further comprising:
 releasing the connection to the network using the first network address to the PCSCF in response to receiving an indication that the new connection to the network; and   continuing the IMS session with the network using the second network address for the PCSCF.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the stored processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause a processor of a computing device to perform operations further comprising attempting to establish an IMS connection to a data packet network using a different radio access technology in response to failure of the attempt to perform an initial registration with the second network address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the first network address to the PCSCF is an address for an IP version 4 (IPv4) address to the PCSCF and the second network address to the PCSCF is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address to the PCSCF.